Richard, letter by letter
Hangul is written in blocks. Each block is one syllable, built from a consonant, a vowel and sometimes a final consonant at the bottom.
| Block | Letters | How each letter sounds | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 리 | ㄹ + ㅣ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅣ i, as in “see” | ri |
| 처 | ㅊ + ㅓ | ㅊ ch ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” | cheo |
| 드 | ㄷ + ㅡ | ㄷ d ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | deu |
Why Richard is written this way
- Korean has one letter, ㄹ, for both “r” and “l”. At the start of a syllable it is a light, flapped sound between the two; at the end of a block it sounds like “l”.
- Korean syllables can’t end in most consonant sounds, and two consonants can’t start one, so a soft ㅡ (eu) is added: 드. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 처.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 리처드 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 리처드예요 (je ireumeun richeodeuyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 리처드 씨 or 리처드 님.
Official documents such as your residence card use your name in English letters, as in your passport. The Hangul spelling is what friends, coworkers and baristas will write.